France, Cameroon paid N500m for seven hostages –Report

French and Cameroonian negotiators may have paid the equivalent of $3.15m (about N500m) to Boko Haram for the release of a family of seven French hostages.

Reuters quotes a confidential report by the Nigerian government as saying that the ransom was paid to the group to secure the release of the family on April 19.

The memo does not say who paid the ransom for the family of seven, although it says Cameroon freed some Boko Haram detainees as part of the deal.

France and Cameroon reiterated denials that any ransom was paid. Nigerian authorities declined to comment.

Armed men on motorcycles snatched Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, his wife, brother and the couple’s four young children, the youngest of whom was four years old, on February 19 while they were on holiday near the Waza national park in north Cameroon, some 10 kilometres from the Nigerian border. They were believed to have been held in North-East Nigeria.

A faction of Boko Haram had claimed the capture of the family of Moulin-Fournier, who worked in Cameroon for French utility firm GDF Suez.

French President Francois Hollande at the time denied any money was paid when the family was released on April 19.

The Nigerian report suggests that 1.6 billion CFA francs ($3.15 million) was paid, but that right up until the last minute Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau had insisted on double that, before agreeing to reduce it if some Boko Haram members in Cameroonian jails were freed.

Reacting to the report, a French foreign ministry official said that France has passed a clear message that it does not pay ransoms. Cameroon government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary said “Cameroon did not pay any ransom.”

A spokesman for Nigeria’s government declined to comment.

The report suggests Nigerian security forces decided not to try to rescue the hostages so as not to endanger their lives. A botched rescue attempt of a British and an Italian hostage believed to have been held by Islamist sect Ansaru in March last year resulted in both hostages being killed.

French news network i-tele reported earlier on Friday that a ransom had of $7 million had been paid, suggesting either Cameroon President Paul Biya or GDF-Suez had paid it.

Eight French hostages are being held in the Sahel region, although the fate of one of them is unclear after al-Qaeda’s North African arm last month said it had beheaded Philippe Verdon.

Hollande has said Paris has ended a policy of paying ransoms for hostages, but suspicion that the country still does despite official denials has been a source of tension with the United States.

France brushed off an allegation by a former US diplomat that it paid a $17 million ransom in vain for the release of four hostages abducted in 2010 from Niger.

Hollande told the family of the Sahel hostages in January that the new policy also meant that he had told companies and insurance firms to not pay ransoms.

See Nigeria life, we always tell we know everything. So Boko Haram is the fourth tiers of Government. GEJ is a complete failure.

EDO BOY

More money to buy more weapons. dis miscreants don’t need Amnesty

Israel

Can anyone see how GEJ is wasting the nations resources to promote criminality: This man should go all out full blast war against the BOKO HARAMIST and if this will hasting the breaking of the nation, let it be very fast: OR is GEJ not interested in South South having their oil to themselves alone?

adiza osilama

Jonathan haters. Did you see anywhere in the report where it was said it was President Jonathan/Nig Govt that paid the ransom? Let us be objective and fair to all. By the way, I never knew kidnapping for ransom is part of the agenda of Boko Haram. I thought they were bent on imposing true Islamic religion in Nigeria. Is kidnapping for money part of the religion of Islam? Obviously this is a political campaign that has nothing to do with the true religion of Islam.

Israel

I did not hate GEJ, where he is doing well, surely I will commend him but his policy is supporting Islamic Fundamentalism and criminality. You are surely a Muslim and why are you funkyfying your name, answer your real Boko Haram name so that everyone can understand where you stand.

Go and search for the meaning of Israel by reading the book of Genesis, you will understand what it means, Is a very strong Christians name, so I am proud of it, the same the nation of Israel is pounding the entire Arab is the same way I will pound all of you till you are finally crushed into pieces.

Realist

Now who is the fanatic?So u want to crush all Muslims into pieces ?Go ahead God is watching,carry on with ur evil plans but know that the God that Muslims worship is best of all planners.

http://www.facebook.com/dla.88 Afeez Alade

Are you blind or just mischievous? Read again.

Israel

Small boy I am not sure you can say that to your father at home, the point I am making is that GEJ is promoting criminality by his policies, however, I know you are one of the Yoruba Boko Haramist that is why you are reacting, you can try the church in South and see how fast you will be roasted.

http://www.facebook.com/dla.88 Afeez Alade

Sorry old man without sense but where in this article is it written that GEJ paid the money?

Israel

That is the same way you address your father so I am not suprised.

Olayori

is the Nigeria public going to support an all-out confrontation with BK? I don’t agree with amnesty, as well.

LONDON BOY

END OF NIGERIA..VERY SOON

kayowalemi

If France and cameroon paid how come the document was with Nigerian authority?

Johnson

I wonder oh! Abi Na federal government of Nigeria truly be Boko Haram as General Buhari talked?

Columnists

"Mr Orubebe, you are former minister of the Federal Republic, you are a statesman in your own right and you must be careful about what you say and about the allegations or accusations that you make and certainly you must be careful about your public conducts."

INEC's Chairman, Attairu Jega cautioning Orubebe over his conduct during the release of the Presidential election results.